Money Tips Network

Trinary serial numbers: What are they worth?

Some of the most popular posts on this website lately have been about currency — particularly fancy serial numbers and errors.

I continue to get a lot of questions through email and on the Facebook group about what kinds of bills are worth more than face value.

This post concentrates on a kind of serial number that's common enough that more experienced collectors probably wouldn't save them. Nonetheless, there is a good market for them on eBay.

Trinary serial numbers for the new collector

More experienced collectors oftentimes say that these kinds of bills are not fancy or that they’re “spenders,” meaning that their only value is their face value.

How to Reduce Food Waste with Science

Use the science-backed '3+1 Approach' to reduce food waste by 30% and save hundreds per year. The power of this evidence-based program is its simplicity, and taking small steps today can create lasting sustainable habits.

The post How to Reduce Food Waste with Science appeared first on Squawkfox.

How to Prevent Food Waste (and save $1,000 per year)

Prevent food waste and save up to $1,000 per year by trying the '3+1 Approach' and adding one 'Use-Up Day' to your weekly meal plan. This simple science-backed strategy cuts household food waste by up to 30%.

The post How to Prevent Food Waste (and save $1,000 per year) appeared first on Squawkfox.

A short resignation letter example that gets the job done

Write a classy resignation letter in just three sentences! I show you how with a resignation letter example download AND a resignation email message example if you WFH.

The post A short resignation letter example that gets the job done appeared first on Cash and Kerry.

5 Ways to Adjust Your Credit Card Strategy as Summer Spending Ramps Up

Link for teaser title: 

https://www.wisebread.com/summer-credit-card-changes

Taking a moment to review your credit card strategy can make it all the more rewarding.

Series I savings bonds: A safe investment with a high return

I get a lot of questions about money. These questions tend to vary based on the asker and her needs, but there's one question I get more often than any other: “What's a safe investment with a high return?”

For the past decade or so, I've had no answer to this question. Savings accounts and certificates of deposit are safe, sure, but they're no longer attractive investments. Since the Great Recession of 2008/2009, interest rates have remained shockingly low. This is by design. The government doesn't want you parking your money in a savings account. They want that money out circulating in the economy.

Over the long term, the stock market offers excellent returns. But when people are asking for “safe” investments, they're wanting avoid short-term volatility, which means stocks are out of the question. (And stuff like Bitcoin and precious metals are even more out of the question!)

How I proved timely tax filing

Needing to prove that you filed your taxes on time? Here's how I showed timely filing …

  • If you mail your taxes, send them Certified Mail, and keep your receipts.
  • You'll need these receipts to prove timely filing, and the best thing to do is fax them when you call.

I've talked a number of times about my phone interactions with the IRS.

I've called them to ask questions and to discuss penalties assessed against our businesses.

How To Save When Food Costs Go Up

Over the summer, food and household supply prices are expected to rise as much as 15%. According to the average American household budget from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the combined expense of food, household operations, and housekeeping supplies was $10,505 in 2019. A 15% jump in that number means the average American household is […]

The post How To Save When Food Costs Go Up appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

How To Avoid Early Debt When You’re Young

When you’re young and new to your career, there’s a lot of temptation to spend more than you earn. You see people ahead of you in your career path making a lot of money and living an affluent lifestyle, and it’s easy to envision yourself being there in a few years. Why not spend a […]

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We sold our house!

June has arrived and it's glorious! The sunshine and warmer weather make living in Oregon wonderful this time of year. October is better, but June is a damn fine month here in Portland: wild roses, blackberry blossoms, and strawberries; birds, squirrels, and bicyclists; outdoor dining, evening strolls, and morning coffee on the porch.

I've been in a great mood for the past week, and it's not just because of the weather. It's also because, after three months of hard work, Kim and I have sold our country cottage. We're not sure what the future holds, but for now we're renting a small place in the Lake Grove neighborhood. It's fun!

And now that all of that work is finished, I can turn my attention to other things — such as writing about money. To kick things off, here's the story of what I've been up to for the past few months, of how we sold our house in this crazy real-estate market.

How To Calculate Net Worth

Your net worth is a simple indicator of your overall financial health. It’s the total value of everything you own minus the total of all of your debts; that’s it. The higher your net worth, the healthier your financial situation. That number represents how much cash you’d have if you sold off every possession you […]

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30 Essential Pieces of Free (and Open) Software for Windows

We live in a golden age of computer software, where there are freely available software packages for almost any purpose. But isn’t there no such thing as a free lunch? Who makes free software, and why? Some free software is the result of people simply writing programs that they find useful and sharing them with […]

The post 30 Essential Pieces of Free (and Open) Software for Windows appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Staking cryptocurrency: My first adventures

Earlier this month, I decided to try my hand at staking cryptocurrency for automatic income. I'll share a few things I learned diving kind of head-first into this project.

It's hard to miss the exposure that cryptocurrency has gotten this year, particularly the past couple of months in 2021. Literal fortunes have been made and lost with the attention and the market swings.

Since I had only earned a small amount of cryptocurrency at various endeavors, I got caught up in the excitement and decided to try my hand at staking cryptocurrency for some automatic income.

What is staking cryptocurrency?

Staking a cryptocurrency, in simplest terms, involves making the cryptocurrency available for the transaction system to work. In slightly more complicated terms, it involves usually a short-term contract to commit the cryptocurrency to a wallet and not spend it.

Timeline: History of the Housing Market Over the Last 50 years

It’s been a long road the last 60 years in the U.S. housing market. From the quiet years in the 1960s to the surprise jump in buyer interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, this nation’s housing market has seen everything from the go-go years of 2002-2007 and the devastating crash that followed. According to the St. […]

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Mortgage “Half” Payments: How Much Do They Save?

Many mortgage lenders offer borrowers the ability to make half-payments twice a month on their mortgage or make bi-weekly payments instead of making a full payment once a month.  How do bi-weekly payments work?  What about twice-monthly payments?  Which is the right option for you? An example of how bi-weekly payments work Let’s say, for […]

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The Simple Dollar Guide to Auto Loans

Getting an auto loan isn’t as tricky as securing a mortgage since the lending criteria are a bit more flexible. But you still want to begin with a good idea of what you can afford — especially before falling for a budget-busting vehicle and committing to a car loan that stretches you too thin. According […]

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H&R Block Refund Advance Loans Review

Please Note: The Refund Advance loan is no longer available through H&R Block. H&R Block refund advance loans are no-interest loans that provide an advance on your tax return if you choose to file your taxes with H&R Block. These loans are usually offered at the beginning of tax season, and reward filers for getting […]

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